SIA to compensate injured SQ321 passengers at least US$10,000 each for now

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) : C6L 0% is offering passengers injured on the turbulence-hit SQ321 flight individual compensation starting from US$10,000.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday (Jun 11), the national flag carrier confirmed it sent out its offers of compensation to injured passengers on Jun 10.

Passengers who sustained “minor injuries” from the May 21 incident were offered US$10,000.

Those who were medically assessed to have sustained “serious injuries, requiring long-term medical care, and requesting financial assistance” were offered an advance payment of US$25,000 to “address their immediate needs”.

This will be part of the final compensation received by these passengers, said SIA.

“For those who sustained more serious injuries from the incident, we have invited them to discuss a compensation offer to meet each of their specific circumstances when they feel well and ready to do so,” added the group.

SIA said it will also provide a full airfare refund – along with delay compensation in line with relevant European Union or UK regulations – to all passengers who were aboard SQ321 on May 21. They also include those who did not sustain any injuries.

It was noted that each passenger was further provided S$1,000 to meet their immediate expenses upon departure from Bangkok.

“SIA has also been covering the medical expenses of the injured passengers and arranging for their family members and loved ones to fly up to Bangkok where requested. All affected passengers should have received their offers of compensation via e-mail, along with information on how they may proceed with their claims,” said the group.

Shares of SIA were trading S$0.02 or 0.3 per cent lower at S$6.77 on a cum-dividend basis as at 1.32 pm on Tuesday, after the statement was released. 

In its latest post, the group also said it “deeply apologises to all passengers for the traumatic experience” during which a 73-year-old Briton, Geoffrey Kitchen, died of a suspected heart attack after the carrier encountered extreme turbulence.

Several dozens of other passengers on the flight were later treated for paralysis, spinal and spinal cord injuries, as well as skull and brain trauma.

Those who suffered from spinal and brain injuries were estimated by one lawyer to potentially seek eight-figure payouts for damages.

Responding to queries from The Business Times on how affected SQ321 passengers have been, and will be, compensated, SIA said the group has a “comprehensive insurance policy in place that covers such incidents”.